On automotive vehicles having both the vehicle dynamics stability control (VDC) function and lane deviation prevention (LDP) function, generally, there are two types of lane deviation prevention control, namely, an LDP control system using a steering actuator and an LDP control system using a braking force actuator. In the steering-actuator based LDP control system, lane deviation is prevented by producing a yaw moment by controlling the steering actuator depending on a host vehicle's lateral displacement or a host vehicle's lateral deviation from a central axis (a reference axis) of the current host vehicle's driving lane. On the other hand, in the braking-force-actuator based LDP control system, lane deviation is prevented by producing a yaw moment by controlling the braking force actuator, such as an ABS-system hydraulic modulator, depending on a host vehicle's lateral deviation from a central axis (a reference axis) of the current host vehicle's driving lane. Usually, in order to produce the yaw moment for lane deviation prevention, braking forces are applied to the road wheels opposite to the direction that the lane deviation occurs. One such braking-force-actuator based LDP control system has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2000-33860.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2001-114081 (hereinafter is referred to as JP2001-114081) discloses a vehicle stability control apparatus that executes vehicle stability control (VSC) by exerting a controlled yaw moment on a host vehicle by way of a left-and-right wheel braking force difference when an electronic control unit determines, based on at least a yaw rate, that the vehicle stability is deteriorated. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2000-272490 (hereinafter is referred to as JP2000-272490) discloses a vehicle stability control apparatus that executes vehicle stability control (VSC) by exerting a controlled yaw moment on a host vehicle by way of a left-and-right wheel braking force difference when an electronic control unit determines, based on at least a sideslip angle, that the vehicle stability is deteriorated. In the vehicle stability control apparatus disclosed in JP2001-114081 and JP2000-272490, vehicle deceleration control is further combined with the vehicle stability control (VSC), for active collision avoidance or active lane deviation prevention.